


Clean

by eruthiel



Category: MarsCorp (Podcast)
Genre: Age Difference, Coming of Age, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Pre-Canon, Science Fiction, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 20:47:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12490496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eruthiel/pseuds/eruthiel
Summary: On finishing his internship, he would be entitled (and, more to the point, contractually obliged) to receive the standard MarsCorp employee tattoo.





	Clean

**Author's Note:**

> [Title from here!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bd6oUKw2U4) Hope you like!! ❤

"What's the matter?"

It hadn't escaped David's notice, the way Colin had been lingering over that particular spot on the inside of his right arm, fingering it gently while they sat cuddled on the sofa in Colin's quarters. Every child knew the significance that patch of skin held for all MarsCorp employees. Even so, he had to wonder why it had suddenly become the focus of so much tender attention.

When Colin failed to respond right away, David twisted round to look at him. His eyes were troubled (and beautiful, David noted to himself, as always). "I said, what's the matter? You're obsessed."

"I'm not." Colin frowned. "I just like touching you. You're nice to touch."

David purred at the compliment, but persisted: "Are you looking forward to when I'll have my tattoo there?"

The frown turned to a scowl. "Not really."

"Then why do you keep stroking me there?"

Colin sighed, giving in to David's encouraging nuzzling. "Today... I had a conversation that made me think, that's all."

"Ye-es..?

"One of my deputies asked me when I'm going to set a date for you to finish your internship."

"O-oh!" That would go some way to explaining it, all right. On finishing his internship and joining the science department proper, David would be entitled (and, more to the point, contractually obliged) to receive the standard MarsCorp employee tattoo. It was a sort of badge of honour and belonging, except not really, because everybody got one. It would identify him and his place within the company; more importantly, it would identify him as an asset _of_ the company. And it would go on the inside of his right arm, where Colin's fingers were currently tracing across the blank canvas of his skin.

"This isn't the first time someone's brought it up," Colin admitted. "But it's going to get more and more frequent the longer you stay on with me. You've still got so much more to learn, but some people don't see it that way – people with ambitions for their own offspring, who see you as taking up space, mostly." He rolled his eyes. "As if I'd ever replace you with some stupid normal kid."

David felt his temperature rising at the very idea of another intern usurping his place at Colin's side. He leaned forward to receive a comforting forehead-kiss. "You're not going to let them split us up, are you?"

"No, baby, of course not. But... I mean, I can't keep you as my intern forever. Sooner or later you _will_ have to become a full employee." Colin's fingers tightened around his arm. "And then they'll cart you over to TattBot to slap a fucking serial number on you, and you'll be..." He cut himself short, seethed over the words for a while. "You'll have the mark of this place on you for the rest of your life."

It was very, very rare for Colin to show anger like this, and David was unsure what to make of it. He made no attempt to free his arm. "I-is that so bad? Everyone else has one. You have one."

Turning his arm so that his tattoo was out of sight, Colin snapped, "Yeah, well spotted. Thanks for reminding me."

"I-I'm sorry."

"No..." Colin sighed. "No, it's okay, buddy. I'm sorry for losing my temper. It's just..." He bit his lip (always guaranteed to send a little shock of arousal through David's guts), and once again seemed to be considering the end of the sentence with more care than usual. "I'd like to believe that we're more than just _things_ to be owned."

Still uncertain of what to say, David nodded slowly. "I understand."

"No, you super don't, kiddo. But you will." He pulled David's hand to his mouth and kissed it, then looked away. "Ugh, sorry. I'm not mad at you, I promise. It's just – y'know, this place."

They sat in silence for a long time: Colin still clutching David's hand to his mouth and glaring at the carpet; David stealing glances at his face, wondering how to make this right. At last he said softly, "Will it hurt?"

Without looking at him, Colin nodded.

"Will you sit with me while it happens?"

This time, a smile fought its way to the surface. "Sure. Unless you'd rather it be a family thing?" David answered him with a scoff, and they settled back into one another's arms. David nestled into Colin's warmth, relaxing as the older man talked and stroked his hair. "Of course I'll sit with you, babe. You can squeeze my hand if the pain is bad. I've heard that's... a thing people do." The silence here was all the more awkward for the way Colin rushed to break it. "Ha, but seriously, I don't think I'll be able to bring myself to look at it when it's finished."

"Oh..."

"I just don't want to see it in black and white. That you're property of MarsCorp, that they can do this to your body and there's nothing you or I can do about it. If your body must belong to anyone, it ought to be me." Colin lined David's throat with kisses to show that he was kidding, except not really. "I'd appreciate it more than MarsCorp, that's for sure."

But David didn't like the knowledge that one part of his body, however small, would someday be anything less than pleasing to Colin. He wanted to give himself wholly to the man he loved, and to be accepted without reservations. Once he became a full employee, there would forever be a little patch of skin on his arm that would not be welcomed like the rest of him; it would insist, no matter what he said or did, on belonging to MarsCorp. David's heart ached when he realised that his own body might soon come between them. Maybe he did understand what Colin was talking about after all.

Much later, when Colin had drunk himself to sleep, David untangled himself from his limbs and eased himself off the sofa. He took a moment to admire that face, flawless even in unconsciousness, before tiptoeing over to the desk.

The nib was cold on his delicate skin, but not painful. He went slowly, as his left hand was weaker than his right, but he still wanted it to look neat. It was oddly satisfying to watch the smooth trail of ink unfold down his arm. He made it larger than a real company tattoo, to compensate for the fact that it was not permanent, or legally binding, and would never be seen by anyone but the two of them, and really meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

When he was finished, David replaced the cap and put the pen back exactly where he'd found it. He crept back to the sofa and lay down gingerly against Colin's side, at which point Colin mumbled something in his sleep and pulled him close into his chest. David smiled to himself and closed his eyes. When Colin woke up and saw his own name on David's body, he would smother it in kisses; beyond that, for the time being, he couldn't bring himself to care. In moments like this, it was impossible to believe that they wouldn't stay this way forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Something a bit like this maybe? idfk man
> 
>  


End file.
